0.0000001% Demon King - 0DK Chapter 16: The Prelude (2) (Part 1)
Soccu returned to the village, passing through the center with a cheerful smile. Usually, she might have grown bored and sulked by now, but today was different. She had someone to meet and talk to.
“Huh?”
As Soccu passed through the village, she stopped upon seeing a boy sitting by a fountain in the park. He was a familiar face, a human who had made a contract with her master. She twirled around and approached the boy.
“Hello, human?”
“Ah, hello.”
The boy flinched for a moment when she revealed herself, then bowed his head. Soccu twirled around.
“Yep. Hello. Your name was…”
“Jacob.”
“Ah, right. I hadn’t heard it before, so I forgot. Sorry.”
“No, it’s okay.”
The boy smiled awkwardly. Soccu examined him from head to toe, then burst into admiration.
“You’ve become quite handsome. Is this how humans change?”
“Is that so?”
Jacob absentmindedly lifted his green hair, which softly waved. Though still chubby-cheeked, his face held promise for the future.
“So, how is it? Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
Jacob nodded. The Demon King not only spared his life but also handed over all the money owned by the organization that had exploited him. With that money, he rented an inn and took a rest with his friends. He had cried countless times over his first experience of a warm meal and bed.
“Thanks to the Demon King’s grace, both my friends and I are living happily. Thank you.”
“See? The Demon King is amazing!”
Soccu bragged proudly. Jacob responded with a faint smile.
“But why did the Demon King make a contract with me…?”
He was happy with his fortune but also felt uneasy. The Demon King, a lord of evil, a being from fairy tales known to corrupt humans and steal their souls. He had made a contract with such an entity. He couldn’t help feeling chills every time he tried to sleep in his warm bed.
“Who knows? I don’t know either.”
Soccu didn’t know everything. She only knew that the contract was made for some utilitarian purpose.
“Is that so…”
“Yes. But it’s good to be obedient. The Demon King is really scary when angry.”
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
Jacob asserted. He was already seen as a renegade by humans for having made a contract with the Demon King. Even if he betrayed the Demon King and sided with humans, he wouldn’t meet a good end.
But it wasn’t just that. For the first time in his life, Jacob saw a light. It was a dark and obscure light, unable to see even a step ahead, but he didn’t want to let it go. Even if it meant selling his soul, he wanted to grasp it. He murmured with a dazed face.
“I have no intention of betraying the Demon King.”
“That’s good then. I’ll be going! Have fun!”
“Ah, yes. But where are you going?”
“To meet my sister!”
Soccu smiled brightly as she spoke.
* * *
“Hello, sister!”
Soccu waved happily. A faint smile appeared on the face of the woman trapped in the jail.
“You came again?”
“Yes. So today…”
Soccu chattered away. The woman occasionally nodded or provided responses. Though Soccu mostly talked, both were quite content.
One enjoyed having someone listen without much reply, and the other was glad to have someone to talk to. The strange relationship between a human and a demon had been going on for days.
“So, that boy made a contract with the master. He seemed happy?”
“…”
Today, she talked about Jacob. The woman who had been quietly listening spoke with a bitter tone.
“Poor child.”
“Poor? Why?”
Soccu tilted her head in confusion. He made a contract with the Demon King and was living a happy life. Why was that pitiful?
“That child must have never received affection in his life. To him, humans were beings that took something away. He must have hated and distrusted them. But the first being to show him kindness is an entity of evil. It’s natural to feel sorry for him.”
“Hmm. I don’t really understand.”
“It’s because you’re a demon. I’m human, so I can guess how the child feels.”
Poor child. The woman’s face turned gloomy as she stroked her body, causing the chains to clank. The chains tightly secured her, restricting her movements more like confinement than imprisonment.
“Anyway.”
“Yes?”
“Your master is unique.”
Soccu and the woman had been talking for days, mainly about Karos. By now, she could guess his identity.
‘I don’t plan to do anything, though.’
The woman smiled bitterly as she spoke.
“Usually, such beings don’t care about humans. They see them only as things to oppress or kill, without engaging in conversation. But your master not only does that but also shows mercy. A unique being.”
“…Is that a good thing?”
It was too complex for Soccu to understand. The woman smiled lightly, explaining as if to a younger sibling.
“For now, take it as a compliment. It’s a human evaluation, so it might not mean much to them.”
She wanted to meet and talk. Interest had sparked, but it was a vain hope. She was a confined body. It was impossible to meet someone now, especially if it was the lord of demons. Soccu thought deeply, then clapped her hands.
“Exactly! The master is amazing!”
Ah, my Demon King! All of me to you! Soccu spread her arms in ecstasy. Her loyalty was immense due to her simple mind. After enjoying the moment, she turned around.